move account to another computer

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I moved my outlook account from my desktop to my laptop. Both were running
Windows XP/Outlook 2003. I used Save My Settings Wizard as suggested.
Outlook is working fine, but I cannot find my contacts. They seem to be
there because the email addresses will fill in the "To" line when I start
typing a name that was in my address book, but when I open my address book or
contacts folder, both are empty. I did not have a .pab file, but my .pst
files were moved and appear to be updated whenever I am in Outlook. Also,
..pst files are not set on read-only and the box is checked to 'Show this
folder as an email address book' in the Contacts, Properties, Outlook Address
Book option. Finally, I noticed that I have 2 outlook.pst files that are
being updated: C:\my documents\outlook.pst (1.5 MB) and c:\documents and
settings\username\local settings\application
data\microsoft\outlook\outlook.pst (256KB). Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated!
 
Leslie said:
I moved my outlook account from my desktop to my laptop. Both were
running Windows XP/Outlook 2003. I used Save My Settings Wizard as
suggested. Outlook is working fine, but I cannot find my contacts.
Click to expand...

They're in your Contacts folder as they should be, I imagine.
They seem to be there because the email addresses will fill in the
"To" line when I start typing a name that was in my address book,
Click to expand...

This is unrelated to your Contacts or the address book. This is the
autocompletion cache.
but
when I open my address book or contacts folder, both are empty. I
did not have a .pab file, but my .pst files were moved and appear to
be updated whenever I am in Outlook.
Click to expand...

SInce your Contacts folder is in exactly the same PST as your Inbox,
Calendar, and every other folder you have, then the only conclusion is that
somehow you did not transfer the data correctly.
Also, .pst files are not set on
read-only and the box is checked to 'Show this folder as an email
address book' in the Contacts, Properties, Outlook Address Book
option. Finally, I noticed that I have 2 outlook.pst files that are
being updated: C:\my documents\outlook.pst (1.5 MB) and c:\documents
and settings\username\local settings\application
data\microsoft\outlook\outlook.pst (256KB). Any suggestions would
be greatly appreciated!
Click to expand...

If you click File>Data File Management, do you see both of those files? If
not. which one do you see?
 
Well, in file>data file management I see the following:
Personal Folders c:\documents and settings\'username'\My
Documents\outlook.pst
Archive Folders c:\documents and settings\'2nd username'\local
settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.pst

The other pst file is in:
c:\documents and settings\username\local settings\application
data\microsoft\outlook\Outlook.pst but it has not been modified since I ran
the Save My Settings wizard. Also, this is a much smaller file than the
personal folders file.

I didn't mention this before, because I didn't care whether they moved or
not, but after reading other posts, I now think it may be signficant that I
also do not see any of my inbox, sent mail, etc. from the outlook account on
my desktop. Any ideas?
Thank you.
 
Leslie said:
Well, in file>data file management I see the following:
Personal Folders c:\documents and settings\'username'\My
Documents\outlook.pst
Archive Folders c:\documents and settings\'2nd username'\local
settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\outlook.pst
Click to expand...

These, then, are the active PSTs in your mail profile and the only ones that
should contain the data with which Outlook is working.
The other pst file is in:
c:\documents and settings\username\local settings\application
data\microsoft\outlook\Outlook.pst but it has not been modified
since I ran the Save My Settings wizard. Also, this is a much
smaller file than the personal folders file.
Click to expand...

I don't think Outlook is working with this PST at all.
I didn't mention this before, because I didn't care whether they
moved or not, but after reading other posts, I now think it may be
signficant that I also do not see any of my inbox, sent mail, etc.
from the outlook account on my desktop.
Click to expand...

Go back to your desktop, then, have Outlook tell you which PST it's using
for your default folders (right-click the root of your default folders,
choose Properties, click Advanced to read it), close Outlook on the desktop
and copy that PST to your other PC. Open it in that Outlook with
FIle>Open>Outlook Data File.
 
Thank you very, very much! All is working now and I've got my address book
displaying my contacts!
 
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